Fuse powder composition



Patented Apr. 26, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FUSE POWDER COMPOSITION George C. Hale and David Hart, Dover, N. J.

No Drawing. Application May 11, 1944, Serial No. 535,054

"'(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) 3 Claims.

of reaction for 1) and (2) when stoichiometrical amounts are present in the compositions as 490 and 1030 kilocalories respectively. By the equivalent heat of reaction we mean the number of kilo- The present invention relates to new and escalories liberated for one chemical equivalent of sentially non gaseous powder compositions inoxidizing agent or one chemical equivalent or tended for use in powder trains of ammunition red phosphorus. Hence, if we divide 490 by to provide a definite burning time interval. Par- (the number of chemical equivalents of red ticularly the'invention resides i'n'the use of oxiphosphorus in first reaction) and divide 1030 by dizing agents with red phosphorus to produce 10 30 (the number of chemical equivalents of red the fuze powders hereinafter described and phosphorus in the second reaction) we obtain 49 claimed. I and 34 kilocalories, respectively, as the equivalent The primary object of the invention is to proheats of the reactions. Thus, although the total vide a fuze powdercomposition which upon igheats of reaction are 490 and 1030 kilocalories renition, produces such temperatures as will cause spectively, the equivalent heats are in reverse orall of the products to be non gaseous. A further der, namely, 49 and 34 kilocalories. Therefore, object is to provide fuze .powder composition in accordance with the new chemical principle which, when compressed to high density, will be which we have discovered, composition (2) will readily and easily, ignit able and will burn uniburn more slowly than composition (1) because, formly without failures to burn through, when despite the fact that its total heat of reaction once-ignited. I is greater than (1) its equivalent heat of reac- We have discovered that there .exists a definite tion is less than 1). Our laboratory tests conrelationship between the equivalent heat of an firmed this, since they'showed that a 2 inch colexothermic chemical reaction and the burning umn of composition (1) burned in less'than 1 time of the composition taking part in this resecond whereas the same column of composiaction, namely, the greater the equivalent heat tion (2) burned 6 seconds, when the two comof the reaction, the shorter the burning time of positions were loaded and tested under identical the composition and vice versa. It was found conditions. that the equivalent heat, not the total heat of We have discovered experimentally that the reaction, governed the burning time of the comemployment of an oxidizing agent together with position. For example, the chemical reactions red phosphorus in the proper proportions, proinvolved in the burning of the following two fuze duces a fuze powder which is readily ignitable powder compositions out of many which we have when compressed to high density and one in formulated and studied experimentally, i. e., (1) which the products of combustion are essentially barium peroxide and red phosphorus and (2) non-gaseous. It has been found that when barium chromate and red phosphorus. The remetallic chromat'es in general or when oxides of actions are as follows: metals which have melting points above 400 C.

Total Equivalent Heat of Heat of Reaction Reaction (1) 5BaO -I- 2P 2Ba0 +B33(PO4)2 5x152 2x4 2x133 992 490 49 (2) 1013aCr0l+ 6? Ba0+ 5Or201+ 3(PO4)2 1,080 3 The figures underneath each substance in the are burned with phosphorus there is no eviequations represent the heats of formation exdence of gas being evolved. Thus the composipressed in kilocalories per mole multiplied by the 50 tions may be loaded in completely enclosed comnumber of moles taking part in the reaction. A simple calculation, therefore, gives the total heats ponents and uniformity of burning obtained under such conditions. As examples, the following compositions have been particularly successful in producing easily ignitable; uniform burning, non-gaseous fuzepowders of definite burning time intervals.

Table 4 entirely non-explosive. found to possess excellent stability.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

Test data in addition to the table show thatby varying the proportion of oxidizing agent to red phosphorus and by using reactions which have the necessary equivalent heat, burning rates can be obtained which vary from less than 1 second to ZOseconds perinch thus afiording an opporchromate 96 per cent and red phosphorus 4 per 3 tunity to select particular compositions for vari-:

ous applicationssuch as fuze powders, ignition bombs, and pyrotechnic devices. In addition to 7 ts actio asafuelin he uze pow ers w i h We 1 powders; and delay powders which are now required in n me ous items of military ammunition. i

have fo mulated, red phosphorus, be ause oi its i ow i n t on temper turerendersthese fu e po ders much more ignitable than any other element previously employedwhile at the same time, gives nomgaseous products. These new fuze powders are comparatively simple to prepare. The compositions may be Wet with water or other liquid to prevent accidental ignition in manufacture, or they may be incorporated in the dry state. Following thorough incorporation, the fuze powders are granulated in commercially available mechanical granulations or by passing through screens. Although it has not been found necessary to use a binding agent to assist in granulating, it may be used if special cases should require a binder.

Since the products of combustion of these fuze powders are non-gaseous, the fuze powders are 1. A fuzepowder composition including barium cent, r

2. A delay powder train formed of a mixture ompris ng a met l ahmmateandred p o p o-- ms with the red phofiphorue being present in i amou ts not exceeding fii eenpercent 0 t e mixture. i

3, d lay powder tra' x wluah burns th ut the roduction of a an n al Qu ntity of gas-- 15 P 953 sei ttal tare omprising ed w eat s; t e an m .1 B12 was, the said i ed phos ho us being so mopqrtm ed hat when a a urn d no substantial quantit of gaseo s p o uc will be ev0lved.- t r HART.

EEFEBENCE siren The following referencfis are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STKI'Efi TPATENT Number Name Date 1,960,591 Nash .r--- May 29, 1934 1,971,502 Piceard Aug. 28, 1934 2,185,371 Burrows Jan, 2, 1940 2,309,978 Pratt Feb. 2, 1943 They have also been I; fogmedlofamixa i t and a m ta (moses r i 

